Penelope Kokkinides Speaks Up For Puerto Rico

With more than two decades of experience in management of government healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, Penelope Kokkinides was recently appointed as Chief Administrative Officer at InnovaCare, Inc., A leading provider of healthcare-related services and Medicare and Medicaid Advantage. After serving as both Chief Operating Officer, as well as vice president of clinical operations, her extensive knowledge an expertise in both Managed Care and the development of clinical programs help establish her as a key leader in the organization.

When asked about the steps that she follows regularly to maintain her success as an entrepreneur, Kokkinides says she encourages others to take time to become fully informed on current trends in their industry. She herself often spends time reading new articles and publications that will help her improve InnovaCares offerings and services. She also states that maintaining organization is essential. prioritizing tasks in order of importance helps her ensure that things are done in a timely manner. By planning ahead, she says that you can reduce the amount of time spent pondering about your next step rather than actually taking it.

Working alongside the company’s president and chief executive officer, Dr. Richard Shinto, Kokkinides helps oversee the daily operations of InnovaCare to ensure that the organization is honestly and effectively meeting the needs of each and every patient. Prior to joining the InnovaCare Health family, Kokkinides was responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of CenterLight Healthcare’s Managed Health Care Division. She holds a Dual Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and Classical Languages as well as a master’s degree in social work including post master’s training in alcohol and substance abuse. To add to her list of achievements, Kokkinides also holds a Master’s degree in public health, which plays an essential role in her fight for improving health care for the residents of San Juan, Puerto Rico due to the health threats posed by Hurricane Maria.

As one of only eight women invited to attend a recent meeting with President Donald Trump and CMS administrator Seema Verma, Kokkinides raised awareness on the importance of adequate funding for Medicare recipients in Puerto Rico. During the meeting, she expressed her optimism regarding the consideration of changes to current Medicare Advantage payments, and shed light on how important to the Medicaid system is for residents of Puerto Rico. As a result, she hopes that both the Trump Administration and CMS will do the right thing and increase financial support for Puerto Rico’s Medicaid and Managed Care system.